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Sentimental sale for Wentwood Grange

By Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News DeskIt will be a sentimental sale for Wentwood Grange at Karaka this year, with brothers Sean, Leigh, and Dean offering the final foal out of the mare that kicked everything off for the trio.Leigh Valley was the first horse the brothers raced together, and she gave them a great introduction to the sport, winning five of her 18 starts, including the Gr.3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m).They retained the daughter of Bianconi and bred some nice horses out of the mare, incl...

Family affair for Cole at Ruakaka

By Jess de Lautour, LOVERACING.NZ News DeskA classy front-running ride from Tegan Newman provided Steven Cole with a special victory at Ruakaka on Friday with Per La Vita.Based out of Byerley Park, Cole has a team of around 25 gallopers in training, of which many are shared in ownership with his father, David Cole.However, when Cole purchased Per La Vita from Wentwood Grange's 2022 National Yearling Sales , his mother elected to take a share in the filly and was duly rewarded when she broke thro...

Blissfull Lady’s staying credentials shine through in Northland Cup

By Richard Edmunds, LOVERACING.NZ News DeskThe lightly raced Blissfull Lady boasts the pedigree of a quality stayer, and she stepped up in distance on Friday and produced a performance worthy of those bloodlines in the Trigg Construction Northland Cup (2200m) at Ruakaka.Blissfull Lady is a son of the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) winner Shocking and the Prized mare Prize Lady, who herself was a back-to-back winner of the Gr.1 Auckland Cup (3200m) in 2007 and 2008. Prize Lady has passed on some...

Te Akau first-starters fill Trentham 2YO quinella

By Richard Edmunds, LOVERACING.NZ News DeskWhen Stars Align and Unbridled Joy kicked off their careers with a quinella in the Japac Homes (1100m) at Trentham on Saturday, adding their names to a bumper list of two-year-old talent in the Te Akau Racing stable this season.Premiership-leading trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson headed into the $40,000 race with half a dozen winners already among the 2023-24 juvenile ranks. Captured By Love was a dominant three-length winner of the Gr.2 Wakefield...

Derby dreaming for Eminent’s son Dulcet

Promising three-year-old gelding Dulcet took an important step towards the Gr.1 VRC Derby (2500m) when running out a ready winner at Sale on Wednesday for trainer Chris Waller.From the first crop of Brighthill Farm stallion Eminent, Dulcet had been placed in his first two starts before relishing the step up to 1740m at Sale to win by a comfortable two lengths.Winning jockey Beau Mertens was impressed with the performance of the progressive young stayer who came from last to loop the field and wi...

Sargent unleashes likely Oaks type

Sydney trainer John Sargent is renowned as a master trainer of staying types, and the Kiwi expat unveiled a live VRC Oaks chance when Harlow Mist scored a strong victory in the Kennedy Oaks Preview (1800m) at Flemington on Sunday.Given a perfect ride by Mick Dee, Harlow Mist sat just behind the speed before the daughter of Contributer was presented soon after straightening and she was strong through the line, defeating Konasana and Everlasting Kiss. The three-year-old fi...

Lickety Split

Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News DeskTime has been called on the racing career of Group One winner Lickety Split following her last placed run in the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings last Saturday.The Andrew Forsman-trained mare has been a flagbearer for her sire Turn Me Loose, scoring his first Group One victory as a sire when winning the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) at just her second start as a juvenile.She went on to win the Gr.3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) before heading acro...

Quintessa retains unbeaten record in Gold Trail Stakes

By Kevin Robertson, LOVERACING.NZ News DeskExciting galloper Quintessa provided the blue and tangerine silks of Te Akau Racing with their second stakes victory and third win in succession at Hastings on Saturday when she stormed home from near the back of a quality field to take out the Gr.3 HBPB Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Gold Trail Stakes (1200m).The daughter of former Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) winner Shamus Award had won on debut over 1200m&...

Quintessa extends unbeaten streak at Taupo

By LOVERACING.NZ News DeskPromising filly Quintessa continued her winning ways at Taupo on Wednesday when taking out the Taupo Pak N Save Fillies (1100m).The daughter of Shamus Award was posted three wide in third early and was pushed up by jockey Warren Kennedy nearing the home turn. She responded brilliantly with a determined finish to claim a last stride victory over Oneira.“She’s a really exciting filly, beating a very strong field and it was extremely satisfying to see her win fresh-up,...

Strombus could earn chance at Dance

A feature race on Melbourne Cup day could figure in the plans for in-form gelding Strombus (NZ) (Territories) after he took his record to two wins from his past three starts at the midweek Kensington meeting.Starting a $2.70 favourite, the five-year-old finished strongly down the outside to win Wednesday’s PKF Global Handicap (1400m) by two lengths.Winning trainer John O’Shea will now consider attempting to qualify Strombus for either the A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) or A$750,000 ...

Popular win for Good Brothers at Cambridge

Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News DeskIt’s only natural for yearling managers to have their favourites when preparing for the sales, but it’s rare they get to call them their own.However, Wentwood Grange’s Brad Molander is an exception, and he is enjoying racing Zacinto gelding Good Brothers with local trainer Chloe Cumming and a group of close friends and colleagues.“He was my favourite yearling that year and we took him over to Adelaide during COVID and had to go through quarantine comi...

Whiskey Lies scores home hat-trick

By Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News DeskPromising juvenile Whiskey Lies continued his dominant run of form at Ruakaka on Saturday, recording his third consecutive win in the ITM/GIB 2YO Winter Championship Final (1200m).“It was great to see him win three in a row. He had even improved on his last run, so I was quite surprised in the way he kicked on at the end,” said Krystal Williams, who trains the gelding in partnership with her father Ken Rae.“We have had a bit of interest in him and it...

Sha Tin double for Wentwood graduates

Wentwood Grange celebrated a successful night at Sha Tin on Sunday, with two wins and a gallant second from three runners at the meeting.Darci Joy was the first to score taking out the Kent Handicap (1600m) by two-and-a-half lengths with a faultless run under jockey Karis Teetan.It was the five-year-old son of Darci Brahma’s fourth career win, and it provided trainer Ricky Yiu with his third of four winners on the night. Bred by Llanhennock Trust, Darci Joy was purchased by Mr Choy out of...

Wentwood’s Classic journey a fruitful one

By Tim Rowe, ANZ Bloodstock NewsNew Zealand nursery Wentwood Grange will travel back across the Tasman empty handed following this year’s Inglis Classic Sale, but that’s just what the Hawkins brothers were hoping for after all four of their specifically selected yearlings found buyers at the three-day Sydney auction. The Cambridge-based farm attended their sixth Classic sale in the last seven years, having continued to bring a draft of yearlings throughout the three recent Covid-affecte...

Young guns enjoy dream first pinhook

20-year-old Brooke Hawthorne and her partner Ryan Stacey enjoyed a successful first pinhooking venture when their handsome Impending colt out of Prudence Perfecto was snapped up for $115,000 during the Book 2 Sale of New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale.Presented through Wentwood Grange, the well-admired colt eventually went to the bid of Upper Bloodstock in partnership with Regal Farm, with the price representing a significant profit on the A$20,000 outlaid for the colt as a weanli...

Breeder’s Choice reaps Derby reward

Blenheim is more accustomed to producing world-class wines than thoroughbreds, but last Saturday local resident Stephanie Hole celebrated her biggest moment as a breeder when Manzoice won the Gr.1 VRC Derby (2500m) at Flemington. “It’s amazing to have bred a Victoria Derby winner,” she said. “I didn’t think he was going to be able to get out being kicked around so much and boxed in, but when he got out and was starting to wind up, I thought he could do it. “But you never know when yo...

Almanzor colt stars in Derby

Cambridge Stud’s rising star sire Almanzor has stolen the show on one of Australasian racing’s greatest stages, picking up his first Group One winner with first-crop son Manzoice in the Gr.1 Penfolds Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington. Heading into Saturday’s A$2 million classic, the New Zealand industry had been confident of making a significant impact through the likes of last week’s Gr.1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) hero Sharp ‘N’ Smart and multiple Melbourne stakes winner Mr ...

Ocean Park mare claims Bendigo Cup

New Zealand-bred mare High Emocean has made a last ditched attempt to make the field for Tuesday’s Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) when scoring in Wednesday’s A$500,000 Gr.3 Bendigo Cup (2400m). Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, High Emocean ($2.30 favourite) required plenty of encouragement from jockey Harry Coffey to strike the lead inside the final 100m and then survive the challenge of Port Phillip ($3.20) by a head. "It was her race to win," Coffey said. "She was up amongst it doin...

Flemington Group Two triumph for She’s Licketysplit

New Zealand filly She’s Licketysplit showed she will be a force to be reckoned with in the upcoming Gr.1 Schweppes One Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 12 with a strong performance to take out Saturday’s Gr.2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) at Flemington. Given an economical trip just behind the speed by rider Damian Lane, the daughter of Turn Me Loose cruised into contention early in the long run home at Flemington and looked to have plenty of petrol in the tank as she moved ...

Group One filly to make Australian debut

Australian punters will get their first look at New Zealand Group One winner She’s Licketysplit at Caulfield on Saturday where she will contest the Gr.2 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m). The daughter of Turn Me Loose impressed as a juvenile when winning two of her three starts, including the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie in March. She resumed in superb fashion at Ruakaka last month when winning the Gr.3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) after which the decision was made to head a...

High Emocean back in winning form

Almost two years after her most recent win, quality staying mare High Emocean returned to the peak of her powers with a dominant victory in Saturday’s A$150,000 The Sally Chirnside (2500m) at Flemington. The New Zealand-bred daughter of Ocean Park made an outstanding start to her career, winning five of her first 11 starts, culminating in the Listed R.M. Ansett Classic (2415m) at Mornington in September of 2020. Trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace have endured a frustrating run since then,...

Top filly off to Aussie, lickety split

by Michael Guerin, NZ HeraldOutstanding filly Lickety Split has been given the green light for an Australian campaign that could see her value skyrocket.The Group 1-winning filly will bypass the rest of the New Zealand spring to aim at the 1000 Guineas at Caulfield in October, victory in which would see her future broodmare value more than double.Lickety Split returned to racing with a brave victory in the Group 3 Northland Breeders Stakes at Ruakaka last Saturday, beating fitter black type riva...

Ominous return for Virtuous Circle

Three-year-old colt Virtuous Circle narrowly prevailed in the Hugh Wallace-Smith Handicap (1500m) at The Valley on Saturday, to make the perfect start to his classic season.  Prepared by Kyneton trainer Liam Howley, the Alamanzor colt rocked punters when scoring at $61 in the Mornington Sires’ (1500m) back in March, and again got the better of the betting public when saluting at $26 to extend his record to two victories from three starts. A Gro...

Lickety Split starts spring campaign in style

Last season’s Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) winner Lickety Split showed she will be a force to be reckoned with in the three-year-old feature events over the next few months with a determined effort to win the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at Ruakaka. The Andrew Forsman-trained daughter of Turn Me Loose had won her first two races, including the Group One juvenile feature at Ellerslie, before enduring a torrid run when seventh in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes ...

Northland Breeders first-up for Lickety Split

Group One winner Lickety Split will begin what her connections hope to be a lucrative spring preparation when she heads to Ruakaka on Saturday. The Andrew Forsman-trained filly will contest the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) first-up after pleasing in her sole trial leading into the race when runner-up over 900m at Te Rapa a fortnight ago. While pleased with his filly, Forsman said his only query is whether the daughter of Turn Me Loose is forward enough for her debut t...